Lynnwood woman made up rape story, police say

LYNNWOOD – A Lynnwood woman who told police Monday a stranger came into her apartment and sexually assaulted her has changed her story, police said.

The woman, 18, admitted to detectives the assault had not occurred, Lynnwood police Cmdr. Jim Nelson said. She provided a statement to police that said she hadn’t intended for things to get this far and that the entire incident did not happen.

On Monday, the woman allegedly told police she woke up early this morning in her apartment in the 18000 block of 36th Avenue West to find a man in her bedroom. The woman told police the man then sexually assaulted her and spent a significant amount of time in the apartment before leaving.

During interviews, detectives noticed inconsistencies in the woman’s story, Nelson said. During the follow up interviews, the woman confessed the incident didn’t occur. Police don’t know what why the woman made up the story, Nelson said.

Detectives will refer the case to the Snohomish County Prosecutors office who will determine if there’s enough evidence to charge the woman with false reporting.